Programme-clock



(No Model.) 2 SheetsS heet 1.

A. J. BEAMS.

PROGRAMME CLOCK. No. 367,662. Patented Aug. 2, 188'7.v

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(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. J. BEAMS.

PROGRAMME CLOCK.

WWMNWW Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

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N, PETERS, Photo-Lithographer, Wuhinpnn. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ANDREW J. BEAMS, or AUGUSTA, KANSAS.

PROGRAMME-CLOCK. 1

SPECIFICATION formingrpart of Letters Patent No. 367,662, dated August 2, 1887,

Application filedNoveinher11,1S86. Serial No. 218,659. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that 1, ANDREW J. BEAMS, a citizen of the United States, and a residentof Augusta, in the county of'Bntler and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Program inc-Clocks; and I do in which Figure 1 is a front view of my improved programme-clock. Fig. 2 is a vertical sec tional view or the shelf at the lower portion of the clock and of the parts appertaining to the same. Fig. 3 is a front view of the clock with the cylinder removed from its arbor and shown in dotted lines, and showing the first wheel of the striking-train and the cylinder in a side projection. Fig. at is a top view of the shelf and its strips; and Fig. 5 is avertical transverse section on line so 00, Fig. 4. I

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention has relation to that class of clocks in which electric bells or similar alarms are sounded at given intervals by suitable means for breaking or making a current or currents connected to the works of a clock, and it contemplates certain improvements upon the clock for which Letters Patent No. 349,605 were granted to me on the 21st day of September, 1886; and it consists to that end in the improvedconstruction and combination of parts of such a clock, in which the electric current operatingthe alarm or alarms is broken during the time when the said alarm or alarms are not wanted, and in which means are provided for the gradual making and breaking of the electric circuit or circuits, and for the im proved operation of the striking-train operat-- ing the mechanism making or breaking the circuit or circuits, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,the numeral 1 indicates the arbor of the minute hand of a clock, and this arbor .is provided with a disk,

2, having forwardly-projecting pins 3 upon its face'nearthe periphery, twelve in number,

the pins upon the disk.

train of the clock in the usual manner.

and corresponding in position tothe fiveminutcs divisions of time upon the face of the clock.

A rock-shaft, 4, is jonrnaled in the clockframe above'the mii'iute-arbor, andhas an arm, 5, formed with an inwardly-bent hook, 6, at itsfree end secured upon it, the hooked end of the arm bearing against and engaging The rock shaft is provided with another arm, 7, the laterallybent end 8 of which engages the periphery of a disk, 9, upon the arbor of the third wheel of the striking-train, having four equidistant notches, 10, in its periphery, and the bent end of an arm, 11, rests upon this arm and projects from a rockshaft, 12, jonrnaled in the clockframe above the first; mentioned rock-shaft.

This upper rock-shaft is provided with two arms, 13 and 14, which engage a pin, 15, upon the rim of the fourth cog-wheelinthe striking- The arm 14 engages with the pin 15 until it is released by the upward movement of the arm 7, which at the same time raises the end of the arm 13, so that when the pin is released from the arm Ll it moves forward a slight distance until it comes in contact with the arm 13,when it is stopped until the pin Supon the disk 2 permits the arm 5 to fall, which thus releases the pin 15 from the arm 13, and the strikingtrain is operated until thepin is againstopped by coming-in contact with the arm M. v

The first cog-wheel 16 of the strikingtrain meshes with a co'g -whcel, ,.-17, which again meshes with a pinion, 18, upon the shaft of a cog-wheel, 19, which again meshes with a cogwheel, 20, which meshes with acog-wheel, 21, upon the tubular arbor 22 of the cylinder 23, which, similar to the cylinder in the above mentioned patent, is preferably constructed of hard rubber or of hard wood or similar nonconducting material, although it may be made of other material and may be insulated from its arbor. The cog-wheel of the cylinder is provided with a spring-pawl, 24-, which engages a ratchet-wheel, 25, rigidly secured to thevcylinder arbor, which is journaled upon a short shaft, 26, upon the supporting-frame of the clock, revolving upon the same and having the cylinder secured tightly upon it, so that when the cog-wheel is revolved from the striking-train it will engage the pawl and revolve the cylinder-arbor and the cylinder with it, while the cylinder may be revolved with its arbor upon the shaft without moving any of the wheels of the strikingtrain, the pawl slipping over the teeth of the ratchet-wheel as the latter is revolved under it. The cylinder is provided in its periphery with a number of parallel peripheral grooves having sockets 27, in which fit removable plugs 28, similar to the cylinder in the above-mentioned patent.

A shelf, 29, secured at the lower end of the supporting-frame by means of two longitudinally-slotted brackets, 30,havingscrew-bolts 3 L projecting upward through their slots into the underside of the shelf; and this shelf is formed with two longitudinal slots, 32 and 33, near its ends, through which slots two n ntted screws, 34 and 35, project from two blocks, 36 and 37, which slide upon the upper side of the ends of the shelf with the screws sliding in the slots. The outer ends of these blocks are provided with two downwardly-projectinglips, 3S, having slots or notches 3.) in them, and the shouldered portions of two screws, 40, fit between the sides of the slots in the lips and are provided with heads 41 for turning them, and have their threaded inner ends fitting in screwthreaded perforations 42 in the ends of the she] It will thus be seen that by screwing the two screws in or out the blocks may be drawn in or out, and that by forcing the nuts upon the screws in the slots in the shelf against the under side of the shelf the blocks may be socured in the positions in which they have been adjusted by the screws in the ends of the shelf. The shelf and blocks are preferably made from hard rubber or hard wood or similar insulating material, or the shelf may be made of other material and the sliding blocks only made of insulating material.

One of the blocks, 36, has a number of longitudinal strips, 43, secured upon itsupper side, each of the said strips being provided with a bindingscrew, 4:4, and the inner ends of these strips are provided with upwai-(lly-projecting contact-points 45, the said inner ends projecting beyond the inner end of the block, and individual adjusting-screws 46 pass up through the block, bearing with their upper ends against insulatingplugs which bear against the under sides of the strips near their free ends, and projecting with their lower headed ends through the open central portion of the shelf. The other block, 37, has one plate, 41:7,

tcring with the contact-points of the lower strips. A. number of adjustingserews, 51, pass through the inner portion of the block and bear with their upper ends against insnlating-blocks which bear against the under sides of the strips of the plate, and have their lower headed ends projecting down through the open central portion of the shelf.

Brackets project downward from the un' der side of the central portion of the shelf and have upwardly-pointing screws 53 in their lower ends, which screws fit with their upper ends in recesses or sockets 5-1. in the hottomot' a vessel, 55, of glass or similar material, having diverging sides, and having flanges 56 at the upper edges of the end pieces formed with notches 57 at their middles, with which the vessel is guided between two verticallypending rods, 58, upon the frame, which rods serve as guides for the vessel or receptacle, which may be raised or lowered upon the screws. This reeeptable is partly filled with mercury, and has a thin layer of glycerine or other noncondueting iluid,which will not mix with or be affected by the mercury, floating upon the mercury, and the separate strips are provided with wires 59, secured to the strips with their ends and bent downward at right angles to project through perforations (it) in the ends of the strips, the lower ends of the wires passing through perforations (il. in the nonconducting top 62 of the receptacle, and projecting into the glyeerine with their lower ends when in their normal position'without coming in contact with the mercury. A wire, (33, is secured to the plate upon the other block and passes through a un-fermion, (it, in the cover of the receptacle and projects into the mercury in the receptacle. A screw, (35, projects upward from the block having the slitted plate, and is insulated from the said plate,'and a strip, (36, ot'metal, and having its outer end curved slightly downward, is se cured upon the said screw, insulated from the same, andin contact with the slitted plate. A similar strip, 67, is secured upon the screw, separated from the lower strip by means of an insnlating-washer, 6S, and the upper end of the screw is provided with a nut, (iii, which may secure a wire, 70, to the screw or post. An arm, 71, is pivoted upon the top of the plate, insulated from the same, and has a wedgeshaped free end, which maybe inserted between the flaring ends of the metallic strips, a spring, 72, serving to draw the said arm between the strips.

A lever, 73, is pivoted at its middle to the top of an upright post, 74, secured upon and insulated from the sliding block. having the slitted plate, and the lower beveled end of this lever may engage and tilt the arm having the wedge-shaped end, either tilting it out from engagement between the flaring ends of the metallic strips or allowing it to be drawn by its spring in between the strips, the lower arm of the lever having a. spring, 75, secured to it IIO IIS

and to the main frame, which spring serves to draw the lower arm of the lever inward. The

upper end of the lever is provided with an inwardly-projecting pin, 76, with which it ongages a slot, 77, in the lower end of a lever, 78, pivoted at its middle upon the frame, and the' upper end of this lever is provided wit-h an inwardlyprojecting pin, 79, which maybe engaged by a semicircular bar, 80, secured upon the face of the first cogwheel of the strikingtrain and projecting from it, the said bar tilting the upper end of the lever outward as it engages the same.

It will now be seen that when the clock is going the disk upon the minute-arbor, having the twelve pins upon its face, will tilt the hooked arm once every five minutes, releasing the striking-tifiiiif whiclfwill be allowed to revolve for a short period.

The wheels of the striking-train and the intermediate cog-wheels and pinions are constructed with such a number of teeth that the cylinder will be moved once around in the course of twelve hours, moving a space forward every five minutes equal to the space between the sockets for holding the plugs. It will therefore be seen that when during the revolution of the cylinder one of the plugs comes in contact'with the upwardly-bent end of one of the strips of the slitted plate the beveled end ofthe said 'plug will depress the strip, causing its contact-point to come in contact with the contactpoint of the strip below it, closing a circuit passing from the bi nding-post of the slittedp-late' to a battery, 81, to a suitable switch-board, 82, and from this to anindividual bell in the room for which the special alarm is intended,,and thereupon to the binding-post of the separate strip, which is depressed. Before, however, the contact-points come in contact, the end of the upper strip 48 has come in contactwith the bend of the'wire 59, secured to the strip 43 and passing through the end of the same, and this wire 59 on being depressed will enter the mercury, having had used, and the electric current, which will pass between the contact-points when no wires are used, will now pass through the glycerine from the end of the wire to the mercury, preventing any oxidation of the contact-points by the spark caused when the circuit is made or broken.

The flaring shape of the sides of the cup will admit of the mercury expanding and contractingby the effect of the temperature with out affecting the level of the mercury perceptibly, and the screws passing up through the brackets supporting the mercury-cup andhaving their ends projecting into the sockets or recesses in the bottom of the cup will serve to adjust the cup so as to bring the mercury and glycerine at the proper level with reference to the ends of the wires. The segmental or semicircular bar upon the face of the first wheel in the striking-train will tilt the upper end of the upper lever outward, and will tilt the upper end of thelowcr lever inward, causing the lower end of the said lever to be tilted outward, drawing the arm having the'wedgeshaped end outward out of contact with the flaring ends of the strips, breaking all connection between the slitted plate and the wire of the circuit, and consequently breaking the circuit, while the bar bears against the upper end of the upper lever. As soon as the bar releases the said end of the lever the spring at the lower arm of the lower lever and the spring of the arm with the wedge-shaped end will serve to bring the levers and the arm back in their normal position, and consequently to close the contact between the line-wire and the slitted plate. The bar is so secured upon the wheel of the striking-train that it will engage the lever during the time when the alarms are not desired to be sounded-during the night, for exampleso that when the plugs upon the cylinder depress the strips and close the circuits the circuit will be broken at the slitted plate, so thatthere will be no circuits closed and the batteries will have rest, the mechanism effecting a saving in battery materials on account of the rest afforded the batteries. follows that the space of time during which thecircuit is broken may be regulated by the length of the curved bar, the bar, however, being in most cases semicircular and closing the circuit twelve hours of the twenty fou r. If desired, the cylinder may be connected to the time-train of a clock instead of to the strikingtrain.

Having thus describe lmy invention,l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot' the United States IlO , 1. In aprogrammeclock having a revolving cylinder provided with insertible plugs, thecombination of a slitted plate having the ends of the strips bent upward and having contactpoints upon the under sides of the ends and having one end of an electric circuit attached to it, separate strips having their inner ends provided with upwardly-projecting contactpoints and having circuit-wires attached to them, and having perforations in their inner 2. In a programme-clock, the combination ota revolving cylinderhaving insertible pl ugs inits periphery, a longitudinally-shtted plate having the ends of the strips bent upward to be engaged by the plugs and having contactpoints upon the under sides of the ends of the strips, separatelongitudinal strips having eontact-points upon the ends, a screw having a bindingnut upon its upper end and secured to and insulated from the slittcd plate, a strip upon the lower end of the screw in contact with the plate and insulated from the screw, and having a downwardly-cnrved outer end, a strip secured upon theserew, insulated from the other strip,and having its end curved upward, an electric wire secured to the screw and strip by the nut, and having its other end passing through a battery and attached to a switch, electric wires secured to the separate strips and upon them and secured to the switch, an arm pivoted upon the slitted plate and insulated from the same, and having a wedge-shaped end for engaging the flaring ends of the strips and a spring for drawing it between the same, a lever pivoted upon an insulated post and having its lower end engaging the arm and having a spring drawing the lower arm inward and formed with an iuwardly-projecting pin upon its upper end, a lever pivoted near its middle and having a slot at its lower end and an inwardly-projecting pin at its upper end and having the slot engaged by the pin of the lower lever, and the first wheel of the striking-train of the clock, provided with a segmental bar secured upon the face, and engaging the pin of the upper lever, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

3. In a programme-clock, the combination of brackets having vertical perforations, a cup containing mercury and having means for guiding it vcrtieally,and having sockets or recesses in its bottom, screws passing through the perforations in the brackets and fitting with their upper ends in the recesses in the bottom of the cup, and a wire at the end of a circuit immersed in the mercury in the cup,

and vertically-sliding wires havingtheir ends projecting down toward the mercury, as and for the purpose shown and. set forth.

4. In aprogramme-clock having a revolving cylinder provided with insertible plugs in its periphery, the combination of a horizontal shelf having longitudinal slots near its ends, and having horizontal screw-threaded perforations in its ends, blocks having downwardly projecting nutted screws sliding in the slots and havingdownwardly-projecting verticallyslotted lips at their ends, screws fitting in the perforations in the ends of the shelf and having shoulders at the sides of the lips and having suitable heads, a longitudinally shtted plate secured upon one block and having an electric wire attached to it and having the ends of its strips bent upward and provided upon the under sides with eontaet-points,and separated strips secured upon the other block and having electric wires attached to them and having contact/points upon the upper sides of their ends, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

5. In a programinc-clock, the combination of a disk upon the minutearbor of the clock, having twelve pins upon its face near the periphery, a rock-shaft having an arm formed with a curved end bearing against the pins and having an arm with a laterally-bent end, a disk upon the arbor ot' a wheel in the strik' ing-train having t'ou r notches in its periphery engaged by the bent end of the arm, a wheel of the striking-train having a pin in its rim, and a rock-shaft having an arm resting with its bent end upon the arm engaging the notched disk and having two arms engaging the pin ot' the wheel of the striking-train, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto al'tixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AN DRE .T. HE AMS.

\V i tn esses:

C. W. Hawus, H. G. ittrnns. 

